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Episode 27 — Jakob Lewis of the Neighbors Podcast

Michael KiserNovember 15, 2014

Jakob produces a podcast, about eight episodes in, called Neighbors. He tells stories in the vein of This American Life, that sort of organic, way of unfolding a story that’s part interview, part narration, and part field recording. But all of Jakob’s stories stem from the Nashville area. He’s using this podcast to bring his city, and quite literally his neighbors, to life.

As a fellow storyteller, I found Jakob’s work to be endearing, challenging, and a perfect way to understand Nashville on a deeper level. But something else occurs, and it’s a credit to jakob’s skills as an interviewer. Numerous times in the conversation, I found myself talking while Jakob kicked back and listened. Mid ramble, I’d look over and he’d be sitting there, his hands over his mouth and his ball cap popped up off his head, relaxed. And that’s when i’d realize that Id been made. That’ he’d reversed the flow. That I’d have to awkwardly scramble to get him talking again, because he’s clearly more interested in asking the questions, than answering them.

Either way, we talk methodology, characters in our neighborhoods, and of course, a coffee a bite and a beer in the Music city.